Draft rigging



March 27, 1934. F, G. sucKow DRAFT RIGGING Filed March 9. 1928 2 sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1934.l F, G. sUcKow DRAFT RIGGING Filed March 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuefntoz [7124i ackw Iflll Patented Mar. Z7, 1934 UNETED STATES PATENT @FFCE DRAFT RIGGING Fred George Suckow, Depew, N. Y., assignor to The Gould Coupler Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application March 9, 1928, Serial No. 260,524

Claims.

springs and associated followers such as are normally employed as cushioning units with tandem spring draft gear.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide a small friction draft gear adapted to interchange with the springs and followers used in tandem spring draft gear and formed as a pair of housing castings, intermediate wedges and resilient means disposed between said wedges to urge them apart and into engagement with the housing castings, the engaging surfaces on said housing castings and wedges being so formed that the parts normally interlock and are held in assembled relation without the employment of auxiliary parts.

An object of my invention is to provide a spring replacement unit which is adapted to be economically manuactured and which involves few parts, said unit preferably comprising a pair of end'or housing castings, a pair of wedges orV intermediate friction elements, and resilient means disposed between said wedges to urge them apart and into engagement with the housing castings, the engaging surfaces of the wedges and housing castings being not only formed to develop frictional resistance but also form-'1d with normally interlocking shoulders whereby the gear may be assembled by pressing the housing castings over the ends of the assembled wedges and resilient means until they interlock over the corresponding shoulders on the wedges, such a gear being readily taken apart by` pressing the sides of the wedges until the interlocking shoulders are disengaged for removing the housing castings.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tandem draft gear in which one or both of the spring units normally employed is, or are, replaced by an interchangeable friction draft gear of the same outside dimensions, whereby the capacity of the gear may be increased without increasing its size.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tandem draft gear in which one of the units only is employed on the application of draft forces and both of which are utilized for cushioning bufhng forces.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a tandem draft gear especially adapted for use with railway draft rigging in which the normal movement of the gear upon the application of draft forces is less than that provided upon the application of bufng forces, whereby the bufling capacity is adapted to greatly exceed the draft capacity thereof.

ther objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined in the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a plan of tandem draft rigging showing tandem draft gear in which the usual spring units have been replaced by friction units, the associated sills being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of one of the friction units shown in Figure l on a larger scale.

Figure 3 is a partial end elevation and partial transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a plan of a modified form of tandem draft rigging.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the rigging shown in Figure 4, the connecting draft key being illustrated in vertical section, and the rigging slightly modified.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, and first considering the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, I have shown a portion of the underframe of a car involving draft sills 1, joined by an end sill 2 and a striking casting 3. Connected to the interior faces of the webs of said draft sills are a pair of cheek plates 4. Said cheek plates may be of conventional character for receiving the spring units of tandem spring draft gear and for that purpose, when assembled as illustrated, provide spaced pockets 5 and 6 dened by draft lugs, '7, 8, 9 and 10, between which may be received the usual form of spring cushioning device, for example, a class G spring and two 1% followers may be disposed between the lugs '7 and 8 and the lugs 9 and 10 in the pockets 5 and 6, respectively.

As a replacement unit for such springs, I have devised a cushioning mechanism or draft gear 11, the normal length of which, when assembled, corresponds with the length of the pockets 5 and 6 or the distance between the corresponding draft lugs, and the transverse dimensions of which correspond with those of the standard followers employed with such cheek plates. Each friction gear ll preferably comprises a pair of outer friction elements or housing castings l2, a pair of intermediate friction elements or wedge members 1.3 and resilient means 14 disposed therebetween. Said resilient means is desirably formed as two sets of oppositely curved plate or leaf springs 15, which are retained in operative position by being received in inwardly opening pockets 16 in the wedges defined by peripheral flanges 17 normally extending toward each other.

Each outer friction element or housing casting 12 preferably comprises an outer or end wall 18 and inclined or diverging side walls 19, the inner surfaces 20 of which form friction devolpng areas normally in engagement with corresponding surfaces 21 on the intermediate friction elements or wedge members 13. In order to provide for holding the parts in assembled relation without the use of auxiliary connecting means, the walls 19 are preferably shaped to provide shoulders or extensions 22, thereby breaking each friction surface 20 into two spaced substantially parallel portions connected by the corresponding shoulder ,22. The wedge members 13 are formed with corresponding or complementary surfaces connected by shoulders or formed with extensions 23. When the parts are assembled, the shoulders 23 engage .the corresponding shoulders 22 and hold the parts of the gear in assembled relation, the springs .pressing the wedges outwardly so that the housing .castings arenormally interlocked therewith.

Extending outwardly from the walls 19 of the housing castings are flange or web portions 24 adapted'to normally abut the draft lugs '7, 8, 9 and l0, and thereby hold the gear in assembled relation with respect to the cheek plates, said portions 24 extending to a sufficient extent to make the ends of the gear correspond in outline with the usual followers employed with the spring gears which are replaced by the present construction. The other walls or sides 25 of the end or housing castings 18, which in the present embodiment form the top and bottom walls thereof, may be disposed normally horizontal and parallel to each other and serve to connect the inclined or angularly-disposed walls 19 and hold the same rigidly with respect to each other and the corresponding end wall 18. The parts of the gear are so formed that the inner edges of the end or housing castings when in normal or released position, such as shown in Figure 2, are disposed at a distance apart corresponding with the normal or maximum travel or compressibility of the gear, whereby the springs or resilient means 14 are not overloaded,Y said castings abutting each other after normal travel and preventing any further strain on the springs.

When assembled with the associated cheek plates 4, the draft gears or spring replacement units 11 are received in the pockets 5 and 6 in the same manner as ordinary spring units in a tandem spring draft gear. The tandem yoke 26 is formed to provide a pair of spaced pockets 2'? and 28, so that when assembled it embraces the gears 11 with one in each pocket, the forward gear being received between the rear end of the associated coupler 29 and the intermediate stop i portion or partition 30 of the yoke and the rearwardly disposed gear being received between said partition and the rear or U-shaped end of said yoke, so that upon the application of both draft and buing forces to the coupler 29, both of said j gears or replacement units 1l are utilized for cushioning both draft and bufng forces.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 4, a construction is there disclosed in which tandem cheek plates 4a are connected to the webs of associated sills 1n and provide longitudinally spaced pockets 5a and 6a, defined by draft lug portions of said cheek plates, as in the previous embodiment. In the present embodiment, however, the pocket 5EL is somewhat longer than the normal or released length of the front gear l1, which may correspond with that shown in detail in Figure 2 and the rear draft gear 1la may have a longer travel than the front draft gear and may correspond in length, when released, with that of the pocket 6a. It will also be noted that the front draft gear 11 normally abuts the front draft lug portions of the cheek plates 4a.

Instead of providing a yoke which embraces both gears 11 and 11a, I have shown a yoke 31 of the vertical type with forwardly extending slotted side portions 32 connected to the stem of a coupler 33 by a horizontal key 34, said yoke embracing the front draft gear 11 between the rear portion 35 thereof and the butt 36 of the coupler stem, with the rear surface of said yoke normally abutting the front surface of the rear draft gear 11a. It will thus be apparent that the front draft gear il only is used upon the application of draft forces, while the rear draft gear 11a, as well as the front draft gear, is employed upon the application of buffing forces. It will also be apparent that the permissible travel of the yoke upon the application of draft forces corresponds with the compressibility or permissible travel of the front draft gear 11, while the permissible travel on buff is greater than that upon the application of draft forces and corresponds with the compressibility or permissible travel of the rear draft gear 11a, which preferably corresponds with that of the front draft gear 11, plus the clearance or loss moe tion provided between the rearward end of the front draft gear and the adjacent draft lug pora tions of the cheek plates 4a.

Although lin the present embodiment I have shown the draft gears 11 and 112L as having different compressibilities, or providing for different amounts of travel, it is obvious that I may employ a yoke like the yoke 31 in combination with a pair of gears 11b of the same travel, as shown in Figure 5, so that the permissible movement on draft will correspond with that on buff, but the cushioning resistance on buff will be double that on draft.

As shown in Figure 4, however, the cushioning eect on draft may, for example, be 175,000 pounds, assuming a 2 movement of the front draft gear 1l. On buff, however, if the clearance with respect to the pocket 5a is 1%, of an inch and the rear draft gear 11a is a special gear having a 2%" travel with a buing capacity of 300,000 pounds, the bufling capacity of the combination would then be 475,000 pounds, or much more than twice the draft capacity. The foregoing is cited merely Vas illustrative and not as limiting.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In railway draft rigging, in combination with the draft sills of a car, tandem cheek plates attached thereto and providing longitudinally spaced draft gear receiving pockets, a draft gear disposed in each of said pockets, the gear in the forward pocket being shorter than the receiving pocket and the gear in the rearward pocket being of the same normal length as said pocket but having a longer travel than the gear in the forward pocket corresponding to the excess length of the forward pocket over the gear received therein, a

coupler, a yoke embracing the forward gear and abutting the front of the rearward gear when the forward gear is disposed in the forward portion of its receiving pocket, whereby said forward gear only is utilized upon the application of draft forces and both gears are utilized upon the application of bufling forces, the normal .travel upon draft corresponding to that of the forward gear 4and the normal travel on bud being increased to that of the rearward gear.

2. Cushioning mechanism comprising outer friction elements formed with end walls and inclined friction surfaces extending therefrom, intermediate friction elements positioned therebetween and formed with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces of the outer elements, means providing additional friction surfaces for holding said friction elements in intel-locked relation, and resilient means positioned between the intermediate friction elements for urging them. apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces .of the outer fric-- tion elements, said outer friction elements being of a size to adapt the mechanism for interchanging with the springs and followers normally employed in tandem spring draft gear.

3. Cushioning mechanism comprising outer friction elements formed with end walls and inclined friction surfaces extending therefrom, intermediate friction elements positioned therebetween and formed with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces on the outer elements, and resilient means positioned between the intermediate friction elements for urging them apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces on the outer friction elements, the engaging portions of the outer and intermediate friction elements having normally abutting shoulders formed by offsetting portions of said friction surfaces for interlocking the parts in assembled position.

4. Cushioning mechanism comprising outer friction elements formed with end walls and walls inclined therefrom and providing friction surfaces, intermediate friction elements positioned therebetween and formed with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces on the outer elements, the engaging surfaces involving offset portions so that when assembled the outer friction elements are interlocked on the intermediate friction elements, and resilient means positioned between the intermediate friction elements for urging them apart into engagement with the outer friction elements and holding the said outer friction elements in assembled relation.

5. Cushioning mechanism comprising outer friction elements, intermediate friction elements positioned therebetween, and resilient means disposed between said intermediate friction elements for urging them apart, the engaging surfaces on said outer and intermediate friction elements being each formed with a plurality of friction surfaces spaced to provide interlocking shoulders whereby the mechanism may be assembled by pressing the outer friction elements over the ends of the intermediate friction elements until the corresponding shoulders interlock and hold the parts in assembled relation.

6. Cushioning mechanism comprising housing castings formed with end walls and inclined walls extending therefrom providing inclined friction surfaces, wedges positioned `therebetween and formed with correspondingly `inclined friction 4 surfaces normally engaging the friction surfaces on the housing castings, all of said surfaces having offset yportions forming shoulders normally interlocking, whereby the parts are assembled by pressing the housing castings over the ends of the wedges until the corresponding shoulders interlock, and resilient means disposed between said wedges for urging them apart into engagement vwith the housing castings.

7. lcushioning mechanism comprising outer friction elements formed with end walls and inclined friction surfaces, intermediate friction elements positioned therebetween and formed with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces on the outer elements, and resilient means disposed between the intermediate'friction elements for holding them apart and forcing them into engagement with the friction surfaces on the outer elements, the friction surfaces of the outer and intermediate elements involving spaced portions providing normally engaging shoulders for interlocking the parts in assembled relation.

8. Cushioning mechanism comprising outer friction elements formed with end walls and other walls inclined therefrom and providing friction surfaces, intermediate friction elements disposed therebetween and formed with complementary inclined friction surfaces normally engaging the friction surfaces on the outer elements, said engaging surfaces being so formed that the outer friction elements are held assembled with respect to the intermediate friction elements by shoulders joining spaced portions thereof, and resilient means disposed between the intermediate friction elements for urging them apart into engagement with the outer friction elements.

9. Cushioning mechanism comprising outer friction elements, intermediate friction elements disposed therebetween, and curved plate springs positioned between said intermediate friction elements for urging them apart, the'engaging surfaces on said friction elements involving spaced substantially parallel portions providing interlocking shoulders, whereby the mechanism may be assembled by pressing the outer friction elements over the ends cf the intermediate friction elements until the correspondingparts become interlocked.

l0. Cushoning mechanism comprising housing `castings each formed with an end wall and inclined walls extending therefrom and provided with inclined friction surfaces, wedges disposed between said castings and formed with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces normally engaging the friction surfaces on the housing castings, all of said castings and wedges being formed with extensions, on which portions of said friction surfaces are provided, adapted to engage the adjacent portions of the associated members, whereby the parts may be assembled by pressing the housing castings over the ends of the wedges until the corresponding extensions interlock, and curved plate springs disposed between said wedges for urging them into frictional engagement with the housing castings.

1l. In railway draft rigging, in combination with the draft sills of a car, cheek plates attached thereto and providing longitudinally spaced draft gear receiving pockets, longitudinally disposed gears positioned in said pockets, one of said gears being shorter than its pocket, the other gear having a longer travel than said first mentioned gear, a coupler, a yoke embracing one gear and normally abutting the front of the other gear, whereby one gear only is utilized when the coupler and Alli las

vIHS

yoke move in one direction, and both gears are utilized when said elements move in the other direction.

12. In railway draft rigging, in combination with the draft sills of a car, cheek plates attached thereto, a pair of gears held in place by means of said cheek plates, a coupler, a yoke, the forward of said gears normally abutting said coupler, and the rearward of said gears being normally engaged by the rear surface of said yoke, whereby one of said gears only is actuated upon the application of draft forces, and both gears are actuated upon the application of bufng forces, clearance being provided between the front gear and those portions of the cheek plates forming the rear stops for said gear, and the rear gear having a greater permissible compressive movement than said front gear, whereby the normal travel upon draft is less than that upon buff.

13. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, stop means attached thereto, a plurality of longitudinally spaced draft gears disposed between said sills and associated with said stop means, the forward gear being shorter than the distance between its stop means so that clearance for rearward movement of said gear is normally provided, and the gear disposed rearwardly thereof being of the same normal length as the distance between its stop means but adapted to be compressed an amount, in excess of the permissible compression of the forward gear, corresponding to the clearance provided between the forward gear and its associated stop means, a drawbar, a yoke connected to said drawbar, embracing the forward gear, and abutting the front end of the gear disposed rearwardly thereof when the forward gear is disposed in the forward portion of the space between its stop means, whereby said forward gear only is utilized upon the application of draft forces and both are utilized upon the application of buing forces.

14. Cushioning mechanism comprising complementary housing portions with walls extending toward each other and providing inclined friction surfaces, intermediate friction elements positioned between said housings and provided with complementary inclined friction surfaces nor- .85 mally engaging the friction surfaces on the housing, and resilient means disposed between said intermediate friction elements for urging them apart, the engaging friction surfaces on said housing portions and intermediate friction elements being each formed as a plurality of portions spaced to provide normally interlocking shoulders.

15. In railway draft rigging, in combination with the draft sills of a car, a pair of cheek plates attached to said draft sills and providing longitudinally spaced pockets defined by draft lugs and adapted to receive cushioning mechanism for a tandem draft gear, a pair of cushioning mechanisms each comprising end friction elements housing, and with walls frictionally engaging, intermediate spring-actuated friction elements and one disposed in each of said pockets with said end friction elements normally engaging said lugs, a coupler, and a yoke connected to said coupler, embracing the foremost mechanism and disposed forwardly of so as to engage the rearmost mechanism on bui, whereby the capacity of both mechanisms is utilized on buff and only one upon the application of draft forces.

FRED GEORGE SUCKOW. 

